Grip for cable railways



2 Shets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) v

E. D. DO UGHERTY.; GRIP Po-R CABLE RAILWAYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE.

EDWARD D. DOUGHERTY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nc.`351,901, dated November 2, 1886.

l Application tiled May 17, 1886. Serial No. 902,437. (No model.)

Ifo all whom it may concern..- Be it known that I, EDWARD D. DoUeHEE- TY, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadel- L A automatically releaseitself from the cable when allowed so to do by the operating-lever, and in which gravity shall be employed to accomplish said release.

A further object is to providea set of yielding rollers adapted to engage the cable and gradually recede until the cable is gripped by a pair of metallic-faced jaws. Y

A further object is to provide a set of rollers adapted to swing in a vertical plane at right angles to the line of 4the cable, and to lift and support the cablebetween the gripping-jaws.

With these ends in view my invention con'-V sists in certain featuresl of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter vdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view of the grip in end elevation.. Fig. 2 is a view ofthe same in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the line xxof Fig. l, and Fig. 4l is a section through line y y of Fig. l.

Arepresents the depending supporter hanger.to which the grip mechanism is attached.

To one side of the hanger A is secured a dat plate, B, bent outwardly, downwardly, and inwardly at the lower edge, forming infcross-section three sides of a rectangular loop, as shown at bb. I n the end of the loop portion ofthe 'plate B are journaled or loosely mounted a pair of upright rollers, AC, one at each end, preferably on bolts c, which serve as axles. Thebearings of thebolts c are in movable boxes D, which are secured in transversely-elongated slots in the parts b b2 of the plate B, and are held in a normally-advanced position toward the gripping-face of the plateV B by elastic cushions d, preferably of rubber. Between the rollers Gis located a bearing block or plate of soft metal, E, conveniently held in position by screws through the port-ion b of the plate B. Thefaces of the rollers O project slightly beyond the face of theblock or plate E, and the plate B,with ils attach ments, as described, andl the strengthening brace or braces e form what may be properly termed the stationary jaw" of the grip. .v

To the opposite side of the hanger A is secured a plate, F, provided at or near its lower edge with apairof perforated lugs, f, to which are hinged the upwardly-extending arms g of the swinging jaw G. Thelower portion of the jaw G is shaped quite similarly to the partbb bl2 of the jaw B, and has in its ends apair of upright rollers, H, secured thereto in the same manner as and opposite to the rollers C. The jaw G is also provided with a softmetal gripingplate,l,located opposite the plate E in the jaw B.. At the lower edgeof the jaw G-one at each corner-are secu red horizontal slightly'tapered rollers K, which occupy positions transversely to the line of the cable, and are adapted to support it between the grippingfaces of the jaws, and to release and pick it up,

A laterally and downwardly extending bifurcated arm, L, is secured to the upper portion of the plate F, and in the ends of its branches is secured the bolt M, on which the eccentric cream wheel N is mounted. The' wheel `N is adapted, as i-t rotateson its support, `to allow the j aw Gto swing outwardly or to force the same inwardly, according as .its bulging side is swung away from or toward the back of the jaw. The pitman and lever for operating the wheel N is not shown, but is conveniently connected with the wheel at the point n, and may be of any well-known or approved construction. The jaw G is caused to have a tendency to swing away from the jaw B bya counterweight, O, secured to the end of a transverse' arm, o, attached to the portion of the said jaw which is hinged to the plate F, or otherwise connected with the jaw, so that its depression will tend to swing the jaw outwardly. The counter-weight arrn o may work in a slot formed in the plate or jaw B, or it may be lo- IOS cated at either end of the plate, the object bcing to give it a free movement sufficient to throw the jaw G away from the jaw B far enough for all practical purposes in releasing or picking up and gripping the cable.

The advantages of the counter-weight over the spring-power hitherto employed to open the jaw consist in its readiness to act at all times without any diminution in force, and without occasion for renewal, while its weight is 1of small consideration, as it is applied at quite a distance above the bottom of the grip.

The wearing plates or blocks which are attached to the jaws admit of renewal at a slight expense, and form a very efficient and economical grip-surface.

As the cable is grasped between the jaws the upright rollers first come in contact with it and form a partial hold, perhaps giving the car its first impulse, and in any event preventing the cable from chafing against the softmetal plates as it approaches their surfaces, and yet when the jaws are firmly brought together the said rollers readily yield and allow the metal plates to grasp the cable {irml y.

It is evident that slight changes might be :esorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I cla-im as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

3. In a grip for cable railways, the combination, with a stationary jaw provided with upright rollers secured yieldinglythercto, of a swinging jaw provided with upright rollers secured yieldingly thereto, and with a pair of horizontal rollers secured to its lower edge, substantially as set forth.

4. In a grip for cable railways, the combination, with a gripping-jaw having upright rollers journaled in bearings secured thereto, ofa removable wearing-plate secured to the face of said jaw between the upright rollers, substantially as set forth.

5. In a grip for cable railways, the combination, with the grippingjaws having upright rollers journaled in yielding bearings, of soft-metal wearing plates or blocks removably secured to the jaws between the rollers, substantially as set forth.

6. Thegrip consisting, essentially, ofthe stationary jaw, with the upright rollers, and rcmovable wearing-plate, the swinging jaw,with the upright rollers, removable wearing-plate, horizontal supportingrollers, and counterweight, andthe cam or eccentric for closing thejaws, constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.

7. In a grip for cable railways, the combination, with a stationary jaw provided with the removable metallic wearing plate or block between two or more yielding rollers, of a movable jaw provided with the removable metallic wearing plate or block between two or more yielding-rollers, said plates or blocks forming a gripping-surface for the cable when they are pressed against the same after the rollers recede, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDlVARD I). DOUGHERTY.

Witnesses:

ELLwooD BoNsALL, CnARLns S. BoNsALL. 

